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4 Responses to “The Professionals / 1966”

When they cast The Professionals, someone obviously had a vision of my perfect film cast. Just look at those names on the poster. It’s what the word ‘powerhouse’ was invented for.
What could be finer than watching Lee Marvin picking off guys with a pistol whilst hoisting a machine gun on his shoulders; Woody Strode calmly firing off a volley of arrows attached with lit dynamite; and Burt Lancaster doing, well, basically whatever he wants over the course of the film? and not forgetting Jack Palance, who despite being shot multiple times still gets to ride into the sunset with Claudia Cardinale.

“Captain Jesus Raza. Jesus, what a name for the bloodiest cutthroat in Mexico!”

Hi Paul …. Welcome!
Good call – The Professionals is my all time Favorite. Yes, a stunning cast – a great story – inspired dialogue – brilliantly written and told. Most of the major players are iconic Western actors. Never get tired of this one.
“Without love, without a cause, we are… *nothing*! We stay because we believe. We leave because we are disillusioned. We come back because we are lost. We die because we are committed.” – Raza

Latecomer to this one. “The Professionals” is one of my favorite westerns. Brilliantly cast. Bits of wonderful dialogue including Raza’s take on the revolution and love.

I love the closing scene. Guys looking for Lancaster, wondering if he’s made it back safely. Ryan observes a distant cloud of dust. “Looks like a whirling dervish.” They spot Burt. Marvin: “That gentlemen..is the whirlingest dervish of them all”.

Bellamy, upset with outcome of alleged kidnapping, snaps at Marvin: “You Son of a Bitch!” Marvin’s dry reply. “Yessir, me — an accident at birth. You—-you’re a self made man!” cut to wide shot of The Professionals riding away, music up full with end credits.

‘Right on the head’ Garry. I consider this in the Top Ten Westerns of all time. As you note, The Cast itself is Legendary – icons of Western Film – and the Writing and Dialogue is brilliant. I can watch movie one over and over.
Directed by Richard Brooks – who did several other notable films. Pretty well a Complete package.